


Devotion

by monsterlover



Category: Fallout 3
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, Past Abuse, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2020-03-06 18:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18856237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monsterlover/pseuds/monsterlover
Summary: This is set after the main story of Fallout 3; Lana Clark, my female Lone Wanderer, is a Good Karma player who almost exclusively uses Charon as her companion. This is the story of their relationship.





	1. Dec. 4, 2278

Lana and Charon had holed up for the night in the office of an abandoned waste disposal facility. Charon had gotten a nasty gash on his arm from a knife-wielding raider, and Lana was hard at work stitching it up.

"You're lucky this didn't go any deeper," Lana said, hunching over the wound, "I know you're strong, but you're not bulletproof. Try and be more careful, okay?"

Charon shifted slightly. The Med-X was only numbing half the pain, despite Lana having to use two on him.

"I apologize. I will endeavor to do so," he said.

"No apology necessary. Just don't want you dying on me," she said, taking a deep breath, "Sorry, my touch isn't quite as precise as my father's was, so it might leave a pretty ugly scar."

"What a tragedy," Charon said, dryly.

Lana relaxed a bit.

"Ha ha. Still, if this were my dad doing it, it'd look much cleaner after healing. His hands were still as a mouse," she said, "When I was eight I busted my lip really bad and he had to stitch it up. And now you can't really even see the scar unless you look real hard."

"Really," Charon said, raising a brow.

"Yeah, look," Lana said, pointing to a thin, faded scar across her bottom lip.

Charon leaned in close to her face to see it, and suddenly stopped when he felt her breath on his own face. His stomach twisted, and he quickly backed away.

"I see," he said, swallowing, "He did a very good job, indeed."

"Yeah, he was great," Lana said, her voice quieting.

She continued to work, her smiled fading. Charon craned his head to look at her better.

"You still miss him," he said.

Lana gave a weak smile.

"I do," she said, still working, "But... he's with my mother, and their work is completed. And... I think I can find some semblance of peace with that."

Charon smiled as Lana tied off the stitches. Peace was a foreign concept to him, but it made him happy to think that at least she could find it.

"What about your parents?" Lana asked, absentmindedly. Her jaw clenched, catching herself too late.

"They died when the bombs fell," he said, plainly, "Not much more to say."

Lana exhaled, relieved he didn't seem too upset. She tied off the final stitch and trimmed it.

"Alright, let's clean this," Lana said, grabbing a bottle of vodka.

She poured the alcohol over the wound and dried it, as Charon gritted his teeth to hide the sting.

"Okay, good to go. Just sit for a while now, and keep your jacket off it," she said.

"As you command," he said, sitting back on the ruined bed.

Lana frowned and stared at him.

"Charon," she said, in a flat, chastising tone.

"Yes?"

"Remember what we said?"

Charon sighed and nodded.

"'There are no commands'. Yes, I remember. I am still adjusting. Please bear with me," Charon said.

"It's alright," Lana said, packing up her supplies into her bag and sitting next to him.

"Ah," she sighed, getting out her Pip-Boy, "Well. At least the day wasn't boring."

Charon watched her flip through the knobs, resting his head on his other arm as he began to sink into a post Med-X haze.

"Oh wow, December already? No wonder it's so cold," she said.

"Mmhm," Charon said, just loud enough to let her know he was listening.

"Huh, maybe we should do something for Christmas. Haven't done anything for it since I left the Vault," she suggested.

Charon shrugged.

"If you would like to," he muttered.

"You ever celebrate Christmas in the Pre-War times? What was it like?" she asked, chastising herself again for asking him something that personal.

Charon sighed.

"That was a long time ago," he said, "But I still remember a good deal about it."

"Like what?" Lana asked, now genuinely curious.

Charon clicked his tongue and exhaled.

"Well, for starters, they always started playing Christmas music on the radio in November. You would hear it playing everywhere there was a radio. Advertisements would start showing up in shop windows, giving discounts on toys and jewelry and whatever nonsense you could get your loved ones as Christmas gifts. I always found it a little annoying, to be honest. It got old, year after year," he said.

"Well, don't you paint such a lovely picture?" Lana said, scoffing lightly.

"Sorry. I am not much of a storyteller. I suppose I am... too honest," he said, his brows raising.

"But, as I was saying. It would get snowy, and kids would make snowmen and snow angels during recess. The whole city square would be covered in string lights, and often times you'd also see a group of people singing Christmas songs on the corner. Churches would have special services, families would gather around to have a huge dinner and exchange presents under a tree, and... well, that's about it," he said.

"That sounds nice, actually. We did stuff like that in the Vault too, with the lights and the singing and the presents. We even had this tiny little plastic Christmas tree. Me and the other kids would make ornaments for it out of paper. It was pretty fun," Lana replied, "What did you used to do?"

Charon's mouth stretched into a tight line.

"Not much," he said, quietly, "I did not come from... a lot. And I do not remember the majority of it."

"Oh, well, that's alright," Lana said softly, backing away from the subject.

It was quiet for a moment. Charon's eyelids were heavy, but he dared not close his eyes. Not while she was so close. Lana stretched and undid her hair, letting it unfurl behind her back. Charon ran his eyes up and down the dark waves, a warmth climbing his face. It was frizzy, greasy, and it had a part in it from her ponytail, but Charon thought it was the most beautiful head of hair he'd ever seen.

"You know," Lana said, reaching into her bag for a brush, "We could always do something ourselves. At home, in Megaton. Or maybe even in Underworld. Anywhere you like. I mean, if you'd like."

Charon smiled.

"I think I would enjoy that. What would you want me to get you?" he said.

"Ohh, you don't have to get me anything, you're all I need," Lana said.

They shared a look.

"I mean, you know, it'd be enough just for us to have a fun Christmas together," she clarified.

"As you wish," he replied.

Lana giggled, prompting Charon to raise his head.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just the way you talk," she said, "You sound like a prince in a fairy tale."

Charon laughed quietly.

"Yeah? From which one? Beauty and the Beast?" he said.

Lana gave him a sad look.

"Oh, come on," she said, "You're not a beast. You're a person who just got exposed to ungodly amounts of radiation. Besides, for what it's worth... I think you're a pretty good looking Ghoul."

Charon swallowed, his face growing hot.

"If you say so," Charon muttered, yawning, hoping she could not see the small smile he was struggling to hide.

"Alright, go get some rest," Lana said, patting his knee, "I'm sure the Med-X is starting to get to you by now. Make sure you sleep on your back or your other side, or your arm'll get sore."

"I rarely sleep," Charon said, leaning back against the bed, "But I will rest as best I can, per your command."

Lana pointed at him, opening her mouth to gently chastise him, but Charon raised his other arm to stop her.

"I know, I know, no commands. I will get better about it," he said, waving his hand at her.

Lana relaxed and smiled softly, watching him for a long pause, before laying out her own bedroll.


	2. Dec. 25, 2278

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is really more of a series of ficlets that I'll stick in different chapters, for ease of access. I may jump back and forward in time a bit, which is why every chapter will be titled by the date (or at least, the first date upon which the ficlet starts).
> 
> This is set after the main story of Fallout 3; Lana Clark, my female Lone Wanderer, is a Good Karma player who almost exclusively uses Charon as her companion. I stay pretty close to canon, but deviate from it as I see fit.

It was Christmas day, and after a lunch at The Brass Lantern, Lana and Charon were back at her house. Lana slipped upstairs into her room, and opened one of her desk drawers. In it was a small, flat, wrapped gift. She picked it up and looked at it, hands shaking slightly. Her stomach twisted, as she took a deep breath, and exhaled, nodding to herself. Lana came down the stairs, biting her lip, the gift in her hands behind her back. Charon was sitting on the couch, staring off into space.

"Hey, Charon," Lana said, just barely holding in her excitement.

Charon looked up at her.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Merry Christmas!" Lana said, presenting the gift to him.

"Oh, but, Lana," Charon began, surprised, "I did not get anything for you."

Lana shook her head and waved her hand at him.

"I already told you, I don't want anything. Come on, I insist," Lana said, offering it to him.

Charon gingerly took it in his hands.

"Well, alright," he said, unwrapping it.

It was a holotape. He turned it over in his hands, confused.

"A holotape...?" he asked, "What's on it--"

He suddenly, quietly gasped, finally recognizing it. It was his contract. His heart beat hard in his chest, and his hands shook. He had never touched it, ever in his whole life. It seemed to burn into his skin. He felt the instinct to drop it, though he resisted.

"I... I do not understand," he said, shaking his head, a mild panic beginning to overtake him.

"Here, I'll play it for you," Lana said, sitting down next to him.

Charon handed it back to her, his trembling growing worse.

Lana put it in her Pip-Boy and played it for him:

_Date: December sixteenth, year twenty-two seventy-eight. This is Lana Clark, current holder of Charon's contract. I am recording this to formally terminate the contract. For good._

Charon's eyes began to sting, and his lips parted.

_I have erased and am overwriting the old one. Charon. You said it yourself, once. You belong to no one. But that can't be true, so long as this contract exists. I don't care what anyone says, you do not deserve this. You do not deserve to be a slave. I am not your master, I am not your employer. I am your friend._

Charon turned his face away from her, his skin growing hot as his the eyes threatened to brim over with tears.

_And I want you to be free. I want you to to want to be free. I know it might take a long time for you to feel that way, but consider this a start. You are hereby formally no longer under my employ. Mine or anyone else's. In other words, you're fired. Merry Christmas._

Charon sat there, every bone in his body weakening by the moment. Lana ejected the tape and looked at it with a sheepish smile.

"I know Ahzrukhal said it was tamper-proof, but, well, I've always been pretty good with machines," she said, awkwardly trailing off.

Charon swallowed hard, looking down at his feet.

"When did... when did you decide to release me?" he asked, his voice weak.

Lana craned her head, trying to look into eyes that refused to look back.

"Charon," she said, "I had always intended to. I bought your contract specifically for that purpose. It made me sick, to think you were being used as a slave by that piece of shit. I didn’t care if he thought you deserved it. You didn’t. Nobody deserves to be a slave. But, I waited because, well, the more time I spent with you, the less ready you seemed for it. For a while, I felt like you wouldn’t even take a piss without my permission. I just wanted to wait until you acted more like an independent person."

She sighed.

"That, and, well, I guess I was a little worried you’d bolt from me the moment you could. Which is... I mean, I know that’s wrong of me. If you’re going to be here, you should be here because you want to be."

"But I do want to be here," Charon said, finally looking at least partially in her direction, his cheeks wet with fresh tears.

Lana's sheepish look softly melted into a relieved smile.

"Well, good," Lana said.

They fell quiet again, as his silent tears began to fall, wetting the dirt on his worn boots.

"Charon?" Lana asked, worried.

"You paid... a thousand caps... a thousand caps... just to set me free," he said, his voice breaking and straining, "Why? Why would you do that? Who the hell was I to you?"

Lana's face twisted into deep concern, almost offended at his question.

"A _person_ ," Lana said, emphatically, "A person being used by an evil, evil man. A person who had clearly been tormented and abused, to the point where he could be enslaved by a damn holotape."

Charon sputtered, trying to stifle his cries, which shook throughout him. They were the frightening, unsettling cries of a broken man, the kind that send a chill through your spine when you hear them. Lana's stomach sank, wondering if she'd freed a slave, or just gave a traumatized man more than his mind could process. She tentatively reached her hand out to comfort him and placed it on his shoulder.

"My God, Lana," he managed to choke out.

Charon's head was reeling. His usual exterior was crumbling, and he didn't know how to feel about what lay beneath it. It was everything he had wanted to be, and everything he was terrified of. And Lana... for so many years, for two entire centuries, nobody had done anything close to what she had just done for him. Either no one had the capability to, or they didn't care. The fact that she viewed an act with such infinite magnitude as basic human decency broke him in a way he could barely handle. But it was a good broken. Like smashing through the walls of a prison. She could never understand how much this meant to him, and he could not find the words to even attempt to make her understand.

Lana's hand shifted slightly.

"Hey, listen. You do what you whatever is easiest for you. You don't have to---"

Charon suddenly took her hand in both of his, and held it to his mouth, as if he were giving it a kiss.

"Lana," he began, "I will never leave your side for as long as I live. That is my gift to you."

He swallowed hard, trying not to break down again.

"Not my obedience, but my devotion. It is yours forever. Please accept it."

Lana put her other hand to her chest, deeply touched.

"I will, Charon," Lana said, with a reassuring nod, "If it's freely given, I will."

Charon sat back up and wiped his tears, finally able to look at her again. He began to move toward her, but hesitated. Lana picked up on his movements and pulled him into a hug, as he quickly embraced her, burying his face in her hair. He closed his eyes, breathing her deeply. He had never had an opportunity to be so close to her before, and he relished it so, feeling her body against his, her hair in his fingers, his face against the top of her head. Holding her felt like years of pain and torment melting away, if for just a moment.

"It is. Thank you," Charon whispered, the breaks in his voice still lingering.

Lana smiled.

"You're welcome," she said. She didn't want thanks, but she knew it was important to him that she accept them.

They separated, Charon wearing probably the warmest smile Lana had ever seen on him. It made her blush, and she glanced at her Pip-boy to hide it.

"Well," she said, collecting herself, "Gob's party is in an hour. You wanna come with? I know social stuff isn't really your thing, so I understand if you don't."

Charon wiped his eyes, coming down from his emotional high.

"No, no, I would love to go," he said, "But, maybe a walk first?"

Lana nodded.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she said.

 

* * *

 

They walked all around Megaton, not speaking, but enjoying themselves nonetheless. Charon was in the best mood Lana had ever seen him in; he even threw out a few "Merry Christmases" to people passing by. His steps seemed lighter, he was visibly more relaxed, and he would absent-mindedly put his arm around Lana's shoulder or stroke her back from time to time.

Lana loved seeing him so happy, but wondered how long this nigh-manic mood of his would last, and what would replace it. She had studied medicine and psychology her whole life; she knew trauma victims didn't magically become better overnight. But she put the thought out of her mind, not wanting to ruin anything for him. She simply basked in the mood as they headed to the party.

"Hey, you two," Nova shouted as they walked through the door, "Merry Christmas!"

She was sitting at the bar, drinking a Nuka Cola.

"Not drinking tonight, Nova?" Lana said.

"Nah, I'm going straight edge, sweetie. Trying to clean myself up. It's been doing wonders for my mind," she said, taking a sip, "Plus, it sure tastes a hell of a lot better."

"Lana!" a perky voice suddenly chirped.

It was Moira, going in for a hug.

"Hey!" Lana said, squeezing her tight, "How's it going?"

"Ohh, just wonderful. The Wasteland Survival Guide has been selling like crazy. I've been having a difficult time finding materials to make more of them. I have a feeling this is gonna be a real hit soon!" she squealed.

"That's great! Merry Christmas!" Lana said.

"You too!" Moira said, moving onto another crowd in the saloon.

The rest of the party went by rather quickly, even though it was well past dark by the time it started coming to a close. Charon had actually carried on several conversations, one even with Gob, whom he'd usually been short with before. He even had a couple drinks, which he almost never did. I made Lana smile to watch him kick back and actually have a good time.

 

At some point, Lana had retreated to a table off to the side, and Charon joined her.

"Are you starting to get tired?" he asked.

Lana nodded.

"Yeah," she said, scooting her empty bottle around in a circle.

"Would you like to go back home?" Charon asked.

"Nah, I think I'll just step out for some air," Lana replied.

"I could use some too, come to think of it," Charon said.

 

The cold breeze was a welcome respite to Lana's flushed cheeks. She shook her hair out and sighed contentedly, leaning against the railing of the upper level of the town. Charon leaned on it next to her.

"I think I may have drank a little too much," he said, laughing weakly.

"Mm, me too," Lana said.

Charon whistled.

"What a day," he said.

"Yep," Lana said, nodding.

 

They stood in a comfortable silence, taking it all in, as the party hummed in the background.

 

"Lana," Charon said, "I just want you to know... how glad I am... to have met you."

Lana smiled, as Charon slid his hand over hers.

"I have never known anyone who cares for me the way you do, nor have I ever cared for anyone the way I do you."

He spoke slowly, carefully, as if he were balancing the words on one finger. Lana stayed silent, giving him the space to think.

"Even if you never formally released me from my contract, I would never have willingly left your side. Because--"

He exhaled, frustrated with him inability to express himself.

"I have never enjoyed... belonging to anyone. I know I said I belong to no one, but you were right; it was effectively true anyways. People owned me and traded me like property. But you... I do not feel like I belong to you... I feel like I belong with you," he said, scratching the back of his neck.

Lana turned her hand upwards and laced her fingers in his.

"I'm really happy you feel that way," she said, "Because as much as I wanted you to be able to do what you wanted, I really didn't like the idea of you being gone."

The corner of Charon's mouth turned upwards, and he shifted nervously.

"I... never realized you were so fond of me," he said, with a short laugh.

Lana frowned and looked up at him.

"You know I didn't just do this because I like you, right?" she asked.

Charon nodded reassuringly.

"Yes, I know. You already said that it was always your intention," he said, "I am just... a little surprised."

Lana leaned on his arm, her frown melting away into a relieved smile.

"Why would it surprise you? I've been keeping you around for over a year," she said.

"Well, I figured you had simply come to rely on my protection," Charon said, shrugging.

"I can protect myself," Lana replied.

Charon scoffed.

"Maybe, but you definitely can't reach the top shelf on your own," he said.

"Oh, ha ha," Lana said, rolling her eyes.

 

The two stood there for a while longer, drawing nearer as the cold began to take its hold on them. Lana began to shiver, and Charon wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Lana put her arm around his waist, and relaxed on his chest, which prompted him to wrap his other arm around her.

This certainly wasn't how they had interacted before, but it was the next natural step. Charon had wanted to touch her from the moment he saw her. At first, out of pure curious desire; he hadn't seen a smoothskin in Underground in a long time, especially a very pretty young smoothskin with such beautiful features. Then it was a longing for one of her reassuring touches, the gentle placement of her hand on his arm or shoulder or thigh. Even the surgeon's hand, stitching up his wounds, was a touch he loooked forward too, despite the pain and the uncomfortable sitting still. And tonight, it was him finally feeling comfortable enough to do what he'd dreamed of for so long. Lana was a tactile person in general, but especially for people she cared about, and it was very clear to him that she cared for him a great deal, possibly more so than anyone else.

He glanced down at his arms around her, and his stomach suddenly sank. He looked at the contrast of his rough, ugly exterior and her beautiful, perfect self. He looked away and grimaced, reminded of his eternal curse. This wasn't going to end like a fairy tale. He would stay the way he was, forever, and nothing in the whole world could possibly change that.

"Charon," Lana said, interrupting his wallowing.

"What is it?" he asked, running a hand down her hair.

Lana hesitated. She couldn't find the words to express her fears, and her feelings towards him. She had hoped that all the love and care and tenderness she'd shown him was enough, but she couldn't be sure. He had always, to some small degree, reciprocated, and now he was even initiating, but she wondered if he would feel the same way tomorrow.

Charon grew concerned at her silence, and pulled her away from his chest, tipping her chin upwards.

"Lana, what is it? Are you alright?"

Lana sighed.

"You know how I feel about you, right?" she said.

Charon's lips fell apart, unsure of what to say. He certainly knew how he felt about her, and that she must have felt something at least remotely similar towards him, but he couldn't say for sure. His brow furrowed and he shook his head, confused and unable to respond.

Lana sighed, her face growing hot, and her eyes beginning to sting. Her stomach felt sick with shame for asking. She was being selfish, taking advantage of his mood to serve her own desires.

"I'm sorry, that sounded... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. You know what, just forget it, let's go back to the party, it's fine," she said, turning away from him.

"Lana, wait," Charon said, beginning to panic. His heart ached, worried that she didn't want to admit that she might have feelings for a Ghoul. He knew humans and Ghouls had been getting together since Ghouls existed, but Lana was a Vaultie. She grew up with squeaky-clean humans who valued normalcy and conformity above everything. This probably felt wrong to her. Maybe it was wrong.

Lana looked down at the ground, avoiding his gaze.

"Please," he said, gently squeezing her hand.

Lana sighed deeply, her head rising and falling to a sudden stop.

"Okay," she said, swallowing, "I'm in love with you, Charon."

Her jaw clenched, and her eyes darted away from him, staring coldly ahead. She couldn't believe she'd actually managed to say it. Her mind flooded with every worst-case scenario possible, worried that he'd be unable to process what she told him. She should have waited. She should have given him time. She was overwhelming him, and he was probably going to have a breakdown and leave. Damn it.

Charon stood there, his lips parted, his pulse faintly ringing in his ears. Was he dreaming? Was this entire day just a huge dream filled with every single one of his deepest fantasies? Had he died and somehow ended up in Heaven?

"Really," he breathed, in disbelief.

Lana nodded weakly.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Charon reached for her, gently turning her head and directing her gaze at him. Slowly, he closed the space between them, watching her movements. She stood up on her tiptoes to reach him, and he bent down as much as he could to help her. They both were startled by the touch of each other's lips; Lana because she'd closed her eyes too early, Charon because he had never kissed anyone in his life.

The sensation was incredibly strange for him, but so, so wonderful. It wasn't just where their lips met, it was everything; her nose touching his cheekbone, the sensitive corner of his mouth that her tongue brushed against, her hair in between his fingers, her arms sliding around his neck, her body flush against his.

Lana loved the way he felt, and the way he sounded, and the way he trembled, and even the way he used his teeth a little too much. He was clumsy and nervous and eager, oh so eager, and she adored it. It was perfect.

All of their fears had completely melted away. It was like all the pieces had suddenly snapped into the right place, and the world made sense again. It seemed so obvious to them both now. Even though it was hard to tell exactly when or where it began, every memory they had made together pointed to the same conclusion: they were in love.

They separated, their warm breath visible in the cold. Charon's eyes stayed closed for a while, and Lana smiled as she watched them slowly open. Her feet also started to hurt from tip toeing, she and awkwardly planted them back down.

"Augh, you're too tall," she said.

Charon laughed and took her hand in his.

"Sorry," he said, shrugging, "Maybe I should just pick you up next time."

Lana giggled, giddy and still shaking.

Charon took his hand and affectionately ran it along her cheek and through her hair.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked, trying to conceal how badly he wanted to be alone, in private, with her.

Lana grinned, trying to conceal the same thing, but poorly.

"Yeah," she said, taking his hand, "Let's go home."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you'd like!


	3. Dec. 31, 2278

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some time after a wonderful Christmas, the two spend New Year's Eve together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some mindless fluff to ring in the new year. HNY everyone!

The day was slowly turning to dusk, the blue fading into pale yellow and orange. Lana had finished pitching their tent, and Charon was returning from his patrol of the area.

 

"Well, other than a few scorpions, there was not anything worthy of concern," he said, "Hate to waste bullets on them, though."

 

"Would you rather get speared by a giant radioactive bug in the middle of the night?" Lana replied.

 

"Well, no," he said, "I just wish there was a way to kill them up close, without too much risk."

 

"I don't know, Butch can kill them with his switchblade," Lana said, raising an eyebrow, "Maybe you should step up your game."

 

"Perhaps, but he isn't a six-foot-six hulking Ghoul," Charon said, crossing his arms, "He is much smaller, and therefore easier to miss." 

 

"Ohoho," Lana laughed, "I hope he never hears you call him small."

 

Charon snorted, with a smirk and a roll of his eyes.

 

"What's he going to do? Stab me in the shins?" 

 

"He's only a little taller than I am, you know," Lana replied.

 

"Yes, and that's my point!"

 

Lana scowled, approaching him for a hug.

 

"Mmph, jerk," she said, burying her face into his body. 

 

She smiled as she felt his chest rise and fall against her, his hand smoothing over her hair, a sweet, contented sigh in his throat. Ahh, it was a perfect evening. The weather had warmed up since Christmas, and was now pleasantly cool and breezy. A wonderful way to spend New Years, together,  _ alone _ . They'd had their fill of questions and stares and whispers in Megaton - oh sure, everyone was happy for them, but Lana could tell it was a bit too much for Charon, who wanted to be alone with her every chance he could. An excursion out was just what they needed, and this pivotal signal of the passage of time no longer came as a fraught reminder of what she had lost; her home, her father, life as she knew it. Now it signified a new beginning, with the man she loved. 

 

"Ah!" Lana suddenly said, pulling her head off of him, "I just remembered, we need to go to Rivet City tomorrow."

 

"Why?" Charon asked.

 

"I got something for Butch," she said, "I left it at the house, but it's on the way, so no big deal."

 

"Ah, I see. What did you get him?"

 

"Well, a couple of things. A decent pistol, for starters, since he really needs one, and this tin of pomade I found, completely untouched, unopened. Found it a couple months back in that old abandoned store, back near Tenpenny Tower? Remember that?" 

 

"Yes," Charon nodded, "Where we found those shades you like so much."

 

"Yep! Can't wait til it gets sunny and I can actually wear them," Lana said, excited.

 

Charon laughed, smiling warmly, eyes filled with affection.

 

“You are… so adorable, you know that?” he breathed.

 

Lana blushed, rocking on her heels with her hands behind her back.

 

“Ohh, you,” she said.

 

Charon’s smile became shy and boyish, and he turned to the unlit campfire they’d set up earlier.

 

“I think I will… go ahead and get this fire started,” he said, making his way over to it, “It will be dark soon. And you need to eat.”

 

“We  _ both _ do,” she gently reminded.

 

Charon closed his eyes, nodding as he knelt by the campfire. 

 

“Right, right,” he said.

 

She had been encouraging him to prioritize his needs as much as he did hers, and he had been slowly getting better about it. He was trying, he  _ had _ to try - if not for himself, then for her, at least. 

 

Lana gave him a kiss atop his head as she passed by him.

 

“Hey. You want a Nuke?” she said, reaching in her pack.

 

“Do we have water?  _ Irradiated _ , of course,” he asked, as he lit the kindling.

 

Lana snorted.

 

“You know the water’s all clean now,” she said.

 

Charon sighed, walking back a ways and sitting down on the bedroll laid out.

 

“Then I will have a Nuke,” he replied, “At least that has  _ some _ rads in it.”

 

Lana laughed as she tossed him a bottle.

 

“What, got a papercut that needs healing?”

 

“Ha, ha,” he said, uncapping the bottle. 

 

“Oh, you mind getting mine, too?” Lana said, settling down next to him.

 

“Not at all,” he said, opening hers with just as much ease.

 

Lana raised a brow as she took it back from him.

 

“You know, that’s always kinda turned me on,” she said.

 

Charon’s face grew warm, relieved he couldn’t visibly blush.

 

“Has it now?” he said, his own brows raising, “Seems a little odd.”

 

“Not really. You’re strong. Very strong. And that’s, well… attractive,” she said, gently nudging him.

 

Charon took a long sip to hide the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth as she hooked her arm around his, gently placing a hand on his thigh. His heart jumped at the feel of it; it was still all a little strange, but he adored it all the same.

 

“I love you,” Lana said, with a small upturn of tone at the end, almost like a question.

 

He turned to look at her, smoothing his hand over her hair. She had let them down for the day, and he loved it. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, so lost was he in the feel of her dark waves between his fingers.

 

“I love you too, Lana,” he replied, the words warm on his tongue. 

 

She smiled, resting against him, and he moved his arm around her to pull her close.

 

They watched the sunset in silence together, and Charon could not recall a time where it ever looked so beautiful.

 

* * *

“Ah. I forget how long it takes to get to midnight on New Year’s,” Lana said, sometime after the sun had gone away.

 

“Well, how would you care to pass the time?” Charon asked.

 

“Hmm,” Lana thought, pursing her lips.

 

She glanced at her PipBoy, flipping on the radio.

 

“Well, we could do with some music, I suppose.”

 

_...This is Three Dog, and you’re listening to Galaxy News Radio. This just in: a little birdie told me that everyone’s favorite Vault Dweller, has landed herself… a plus one. _

 

Lana’s lips pulled into a flat line, her eyes wide as she blushed.

 

_ That’s right, listeners! Capital Wasteleand’s Sweetheart is taken! I’ll give you a little moment to dry your eyes, fellas.  _

 

“Oh my god,” she groaned, covering her face.

 

_ But I’ll spare her any more embarrassment. Congratulations, little lady. I’d say your new man better not lay a hand on you, but something tells me you can take care of  _ **_yourself_ ** _. _

 

 _Next up is_ ** _Crazy He Calls_** **_Me_** _by none other than Billie Holiday. Just try not to get_ ** _too_** _crazy tonight, folks._

 

Lana’s face went bright red, and Charon couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Well, I suppose we know how long talk gets around,” he said, finishing his Nuka-Cola and placing it down, “Six days, tops.”

 

Lana was so lost in her laugh that she did not notice that he had stood up, extending his hand.

 

“Well?” he said, “Come on.”

 

She stood up, coming up to his chest.

 

“Charon, I don’t know if we can really dance,” she said, with a giggle. 

 

“Not with that attitude, we can’t,” he said, “Besides, we don’t have to do anything fancy. Just let me hold you.”

 

She held fast to him, his massive body warm against hers. He cupped the back of her head, his other hand wandering down her back. They slowly rocked together as the music played, and Lana started smiling to herself, as if to hide her laughter.

 

“What is it?” Charon said.

 

“No, no, it’s just,” she said, “A week ago we were killing radroaches in the train tunnels, and now we’re… well, like this. It’s just funny.”

 

“Mm, I see. I guess it is pretty funny. Though I’ll be honest, to me it just feels like a dream,” he said, “Sometimes I wonder where I’ll be when I wake up.”

 

Lana looked up at him.

 

“With me,” she said, softly.

 

Charon blushed, his mouth curling into a boyish smile. There was a moment, and then the two of them started laughing.

 

“Oh my god, that was so cheesy,” she said, burying her face into his chest.

 

“No, no I… I thought it was sweet!” he insisted, “But, yeah, it… also kind of sounded like something out of a dimestore novel.”

 

“Ohh, stop it.”

 

The song had already transitioned into another one by the time they had stopped dancing, but they didn’t really notice. 

 

For the next few hours they would sit and talk with each other, the music droning softly as the relaxed together.

 

* * *

 

Lana’s PipBoy suddenly chimed, interrupting their conversation.

 

“Oh! It’s just one minute until midnight,” she said, “Sixty seconds until 2279 and counting.”

 

She turned to him.

 

“Got any New Year’s resolutions?”

 

Charon snorted.

 

“Don’t die,” he said, with a shrug.

 

Lana nodded, turning back to her PipBoy.

 

“Sounds good to me,” she said, “Now it’s forty-nine seconds.”

 

“Are you going to count the entire time?”

 

“Oh hush. I just don’t wanna miss the countdown from ten. That’s always fun,” she said, “Thirty-five, now.”

 

Charon swallowed.

 

“You know uh, there’s something… I mean usually, when it uh, hits midnight, you uhh…” he trailed off quietly.

 

“Twenty seconds,” Lana said.

 

Charon’s stomach was doing backflips. He wondered if she knew, surely she knew? Would it be weird if he just did it?

 

“Ten… nine… eight… seven…”

 

He was just going to have to do it. 

 

“Six… five… four… three…”

 

He took in a deep breath, hooking his arm around her waist.

 

“Two… one--!” 

Charon’s lips found hers with more ease than before, but with the same breathless trepidation. She sighed into his mouth and pulled him closer, assuaging his fears instantly. 

 

It would take time for him to get used to being wanted this way… but then again, maybe he didn’t  _ want  _ to get used to it. Maybe he didn’t want to ever stop feeling this cloyingly raw and wonderful feeling; his heart on fire, hammering in his chest, every nerve in his body running hot and cold, his cheeks warm and prickling with a smile that refused to leave. 

 

And then her hands were digging into the back of his hair (what little there was), and his arms tightened around her waist, and their tongues met as their kiss deepened, and he thought--

 

_ I really could get used to this. _

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you'd like!


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